


Reaper's Garden

by doli_incapax (CucumberJuice)



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Awkward Flirting, Domestic Fluff, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fantasy, Friendship, M/M, Magic, Military, Worldbuilding, general badass group of friends, the war reached Pelican Town, twin farmers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-07
Updated: 2019-06-07
Packaged: 2020-04-12 05:25:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,219
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19125490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CucumberJuice/pseuds/doli_incapax
Summary: War knocks on Pelican's door. When the Sovereign was murdered, the balance shifts and Ferngill finds itself on the wrong side of the plank. A team of unlikely friends band together to unearth the secrets of Stardew Valley in a desperate attempt to survive.Or the story where the effects of the war with the Gotoro Empire reached Pelican Town. Oh, and also magic."Children are dying. The injustices of the world hide in those three words."- Steven Erikson, Deadhouse Gates





	Reaper's Garden

If I could

I would take the helm from your head

Return the toys to your hand

Remove the blade and kiss the scars

But alas, my child!

The war is old

And you will never return from it.

 

\- Stabin, Poet (c. 472)

 

* * *

 

I could tell you that everything began when the Empress of Gotoro succeeded the throne of her late Father and declared war against all nation, declared that her Empire deserved to be ruler of the entire continent. The Gotoro Empire had the forces, the might, and the magic. It really wasn't a surprise to anyone.

 

I could tell you that everything began when nation after nation, conquest after conquest, the Gotoro Empire expanded their territory. It only took them fifteen years to conquer their entire continent. Fifteen years full of death and subjugation and yet they hadn't tire. When the last of the Eastern Unbent Nations finally conceded, the Gotoro Empire turned their attention eastwards, with the Ferngill Republic as its first target. Our country. Our people.

 

I could tell you that everything began when the Ferngill Republic first attacked the Gotoro Empire. It was an act of anticipated self-defense. Sovereign Tides, Ferngill's Head of State, knew that the moment the Gotoron army step foot on Ferngill soil, all would be lost. He knew that Ferngill was the first and last line of defense of the Western Unbent Nations. To yield was not an option. This was a decade ago. '

 

Sovereign Tides was dead, killed by the corruption within his own council. The new sovereign, Rhea IX, recalled the army from the Gotoron territory and was now negotiating an armistice with the errant empire.

 

But this particular side of the story began with the death of a grandfather and a hope of a new life for twin ex-soldiers, a peaceful one, as humble farmers in Stardew Valley.

 

* * *

 

_Year 1, Yoba's Rise; 24th Year of Gotoro's Conquest; Last Year of Sovereign Tides V's Rule_

 

Achilles half expected the bus stop to be empty. Morn was only a few hours away, and the moon was slowly inching its way down the horizon. There was a man, hair and beard white with age, holding a torch and standing by the ticketing post. His brown jumpsuit was cut short a little above his ankles. His tucked in shirt was worn. Too much bleach had burned white patches on it. His tie was loose and askew. It was as yellow as his teeth.

 

Achilles frowned. This must be the town mayor.

 

The woman beside him looked a little less pretentious, with her deep orange overalls and her even deeper orange hair tied in a messy bun. She at least didn't greet them with a half-baked smile.

 

Artemis, her twin sister, ran down the moment the bus stopped, all too excited to start their new, hopefully uneventful life, leaving Achilles with the baggage. There weren't plenty and there were sadly twice as many equipment as there were clothing and personal belongings. Military equipment, that is.

 

Achilles carried all their baggage in one go. Because he was a man, and men don't do second takes.

 

Artemis was already making a fuss before the mayor when Achilles exited the bus. She was wiping some invisible dirt on the mayor's shoulders. His necktie had been fixed, and his torch burned slightly brighter.

 

"Achilles!" Artemis shouted, voice pitched higher. "This is Lewis, he's the town mayor. And this is Robin, a carpenter. Lewis, Robin, this is Achilles, my brother."

 

Achilles tried to wave but he found that he couldn't with all the bags he's carrying. He groaned. "Need some help, Art."

 

Artemis, like the best twin sister one could ever had, took her own personal bag from his shoulder. Just one bag, the smallest even. Achilles shot him a quick glare, to which she replied with a grin.

 

Lewis and Robin escorted them to their grandfather's farm. Artemis and Robin got on their girl talk so fast along the way, Achilles could have easily assumed they've met before. He tried to listen in their conversation.

 

"So spring you have to plant at least a couple of cauliflowers because they sell good or, so I'm told. Not really the planting type," Robin said. "But I'm a building type. Just give me the woods and the space and I can build you a coop in a week."

 

"The coop has to be strong and sturdy though. Is a week really enough?" Artemis butted in, disbelief in her voice. A week is too short a time to build a tenement.

 

"I’m the best you got, honey." Robin was correct there. "Anyway, if you don't like chickens, perhaps you like cows? I can build you a barn. Marnie, owner of the farm just south of you, breeds animals so maybe you can buy babies from her."

 

"Does she only breed cows and chickens?" Artemis asked.

 

"She breeds all sorts." Robin chuckled. "Pigs, and goats, and rabbits..."

 

"Rabbits!" Artemis turned and gave Achilles a familiar look. "We are totally going to have rabbits."

 

"Just one rabbit, Art. We're here to make profit, not play with pets," Achilles said. "Then we get as much chicken as we can because we can sell their eggs"

 

It was a lie, and they both know it. They weren’t here to get rich and make profit. Artemis and Achilles retired from the military at the age of 24, after almost eight years of service, to live the life they were deprived of. Or at least, that is what Achilles wanted Artemis to believe. After what happened in Gotoro, it was the least Achilles could do for her.

 

"Agreed, but I am going to name them."

 

"All of them?"

 

"Yup. Our first chicken shall be named Nugget. The second shall be Tenders."

 

Achilles laughed. "That's so rude. Now I want some chicken nuggets."

 

"The third shall be wings."

 

The farm was less of a farm than a jungle of broken branches, rocks, and weeds. Artemis almost screamed. Achilles almost dropped the baggage in surprise. They were here to relax, not labor their asses off all day to clean an entire landfill. There was a small cabin at least, large enough for the two of them. Achilles could only hope there was at least a functional bed inside.

 

"It's been a long time since your grandfather did any farm work," Lewis mused. "I, too, was shocked to see the state of this place."

 

Achilles coughed as he settled the baggage gently on the ground. "We're going to have to just... tackle when the sun rose up."

 

Robin pulled Artemis towards the cabin, muttering about house upgrades and kitchens. Lewis trailed after them. Artemis could only shout a hurried, "scout the area" before the cabin rattled on its foundations as Robin slammed the door violently.

 

"I am your captain, Artemis!" Achilles shouted back, though he knew it would not reach her.

 

She was right, however. Achilles would have to scout the area sooner rather than later. He couldn't really map out the entire farm just yet because of the rubbles but getting a good layout wouldn't hurt. He scratched his head. The overgrown trees and the thick grass that covered the entire area gave plenty of hiding spaces for any and all enemies. The dark placed them on an even greater disadvantage.

 

"You know what," he muttered to himself. He gathered a bunch of twigs on the ground and set them on a clear space away from where he settled their baggage, creating a pyramid of wood. With a silent whisper, fire started from the base of the pyramid before gently, steadily grew to a volume enough to illuminate a comfortable radius. "You know what," he muttered again. "Just this once, I won't scout. Screw those Gotoron bastards. I've killed them once, I can kill them again."

 

With practiced movements, Achilles fetched three metal rods and a blade hanging from his belt. He twisted them like a baton over his head until they'd connected and formed a war scythe. A blue orb shimmered in the hole of the blade. He pressed a button right before the inscription of Ferngill's armed forces motto began. From the sides of the top metal rod, two more blades appeared, slicing through the air as it clicked onto place.

 

 _To serve and protect_ , embossed in fine golden print. He looked back at the cabin. Lights escaped from the open window. He could see the silhouette of his sister laughing from inside. _To serve and protect._

 

Achilles scoffed. "Oh, alright. I'll scout."

 

Aiming the scythe in front of him, he paced forward, letting the glow of the orb feel the vibration in the air. If another human, threatening or otherwise, as long as they're breathing, is nearby, the orb would jump on its socket ever so slightly. Achilles would then know.

 

It did. Achilles hadn't even left the area provided by the campfire.

 

"Show yourself," Achilles said in the tone he used to command people. It boomed in the stillness of the night. "You don't want me walking there."

 

There was ruffle by the bushes; a faint whispering of two distinct voices quarreling over something. Achilles raised an eyebrow, lips thinned in sudden exasperation. They were either civilians or not very good at whatever they were set out to do. They were probably some village teens cursed with curiosity. In any case, Achilles didn't rest his scythe. He advanced forward, slowly. He whispered into the wind to flare the glow of the orb.

 

"If you don't come out, I would burn you," he said. Not that he really would - civilians are, after all, protected by war conventions - but it was usually an effective threat against people who didn't know any better.

 

Achilles was surprised, to say the least, when a man in his late twenties stumbled from the darkness as if he was kicked out. His dark hair, that covered half his face still had leaves sticking out of them. He scoffed and raised his arms in surrender.

 

Achilles used the tip of his scythe to raise the man's chin. His features were sharp, and his glare even sharper. It caught Achilles' breath at the right angle. He looked like a demon freshly fallen. The man seemingly had no weapons with him, but his jacket and his pants were loose. He could hide anything from under there unless Achilles patted him down.

 

"Name," Achilles asked, voice stern.

 

"Sebastian."

 

The sultriness of his voice ran a chill down Achilles' spine. His grip on his scythe tightened.

 

"And the other one?"

 

Sebastian tried to look behind, possibly to call whoever was hiding, but the scythe shifted to lock his gaze on Achilles.

 

"Do not move." Achilles demanded.

 

Sebastian's glare softened, and he looked down.

 

Another man stepped out from the darkness. He was scrawnier, younger than Sebastian. His entire body shook in fear. He slowly dragged his feet as he came forward, stopping just beside his friend.

 

"M-my name is..." The man's Adam’s apple bobbed on his throat. "I am Sam... from P-pelican Town. G-good morning."

 

"Achilles, what is this?" Artemis screamed from behind him.  "What are you doing?"

 

Artemis hurried in front of him and pushed his scythe down. She patted down Sebastian like a mother to a son and picked away the leaves on his hair. She patted Sam longer, brushing the man's hair to perfect golden spikes with her fingers.

 

"Oh, Yoba's breath," Artemis fumed. "You're a little clammy."

 

Achilles shrugged. "You told me to scout."

 

"Scout," Artemis said indignantly. "Not threaten children."

 

Achilles clicked his tongue and looked away. "They're not children."

 

Robin looked a little less enthusiastic when she saw Sebastian and Sam. Her voice was scratchier than Artemis' shriek.

 

"Sebastian," Robin yelled. She turned to Artemis. "Oh, darling. Did my son disturbed your brother?"

 

Achilles frowned. He did not appreciate being ignored.

 

"No. We're fine. He's just a little jumpy." Artemis scratched the back of her head.

 

Lewis coughed. "Artemis, this is Sebastian and Sam. Sebastian, Sam, these are Artemis and Achilles. They're the grandchildren of the farmer who lived here before."

 

It was Sam who offered a hand first. "Sam," he said. "I'm sorry for your grandfather."

 

Artemis tucked a stray hair behind her ear. "Artemis."

 

Achilles propped a hand on his sister's shoulders. "Art, we have to sleep. Long day tomorrow. Apologies, Sebastian, Sam. I didn't mean to threaten you."

 

Sam chuckled awkwardly. "It was our fault. I'm sorry for sneaking up on you, guys. I guess, we have to go."

 

"Goodnight," Artemis said, cheery.

 

"Goodnight." Sam returned the smile. "See you tomorrow?"

 

"Sure! You can tour me around town?"

 

Sam coughed. "That'd be great."

 

"No," Achilles protested. "No one is touring you around town."

 

"You're invited too," Artemis said. "If you want."

 

Achilles considered it, but he shook his head eventually and dragged her back to the cabin.

 

"I'll wait," Sam said over the distance. "9 AM at the bus stop."

 

"Copy!"

 

The campfire sizzled as Achilles and Artemis passed. The cabin shook for the second time that night as Achilles slammed the door.

 

"Hey, Liz," Artemis said just as they were getting comfortable on the single bed. "We forgot the weapons outside."

 

Achilles turned and buried his face onto his pillow. "Peaceful, Art. Peace."

 

"Peaceful," Artemis echoed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unedited. Oops. Stabin is not a real person, as far as I'm concerned.


End file.
